Mauri Sanchis Groovewords

Funkmaster Sanchis is the first Hammond and Moog endorsee out of Spain, and he does both companies justice. Sanchis enlists a host of deep-grooving friends to lay down some of the tastiest music this side of Segovia, including famed trumpeter Randy Brecker and a host of talented singers. But it’s Sanchis’ whirring Hammond and melodic Moog lines that stand out amidst the tasteful funk/soul/jazz tunes. (BHM, (maurisanchis.com)

Keyboard Magazine What was your background growing up? Piano lessons or self taught?Tracy Martin Growing up, I was just the regular kid aside from both my parents being Pastors. My mom put me in piano lessons when I was about

Our conversation with Billy Joel's keyboardist David Rosenthal included more information than we could print in our interview in the October 2014 issue. Here’s the rest of what he had to say about working with Billy Joel, Broadway musicals, and advice about music education and training for aspiring keyboard players.

The first album since 1981 with “Fusion” after Jeff’s name is both a return to the jazz funk keyboardist’s roots in that genre, and an ensemble effort by the baddest mofos out there Jimmy Haslip on bass, Randy Brecker on

Southern rock is full of characters, and Swamp- DaWamp comes from the post-Kid Rock brand, though shades of Nugent and Skynyrd abound. Keyboardist Mike “Scooby” Huffman hails from the Billy Powell school of octave runs and whirring Hammond swells on standout party tracks like “Helluva Night” and “Stoned,” while his beautiful piano intro on the moving ballad “Daddy Said” shows his more sensitive side. Singer Gig Michaels sounds like David Lee Roth if he weighed 300 pounds and gargled broken glass, which is a total compliment. The band is reported to be a big draw at biker rallies, which no doubt boast receptive audiences. There is something truly authentic about a band like SwampDaWamp, who sound like a fun bunch to party with both on and off stage. Fly high, Swampers! (Big Penny Entertainment, swampdawamp.com )

Though Styx has lost some of its original members, their body of work holds up over time. The current lineup, featuring original guitarists Tommy Shaw and James “J.Y.” Young, cut this EP covering some of their best-known hits, fronted by Lawrence Gowan on vocals and keys.

Hearing Spencer Day for the first time, one could initially take him for a Harry Connick Jr. devotee, but as his excellent album Vagabond unfolds, so does Day’s own style. Joined by Ben Yonas on organ, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron, Day proves himself a talented pianist and singer who dresses his music in strong orchestration and makes his voice a definite focal point. That said, his jazzy piano work and solo on the second cut “Someday,” and on the oddly tender “Out of My Hands,” show his unmistakable sophistication on the keys. What separates Day from other singer/songwriters, though, is a uniquely professional veneer to his music, and I mean that as a compliment; the record sounds great. There is a lot to love on Vagabond if you are a fan of timeless crooners presenting stylish tunes. Spencer Day is off to a great start on what could be a fabulous career. (Concord Jazz, spencerday.com)